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Health anxiety

User Profile: bagel2024
bagel2024 September 18th, 2025

Can someone plz respond just tell im going to be ok again or something? Or any advice on how to chill tf out waiting for my doctor appointment?😭 Basically this all started a couple of weeks when i took an iron pill that i think caused irritation to my esophagus and stomach, it started with mild heartburn that went away and then i was fine for a week. On a random day i was completely fine, then i had ate, I started to get random chest discomfort and tightness, it really scared me and i almost had my boyfriend take me to the ER, i ended up just falling asleep, and i woke up and it went away, it was gone for a while, but then it came back, and i started to get really bad anxiety about it. For the next few days it was very off and on, i figured out it probably was the iron pill causing irritation making me have acid reflux, I started taking omeprazole. Im 25f Prior to this Ive never had any symptoms of acid reflux at all and could eat whatever I wanted with no problems. I have a doctors appointment on September 29th, but with it being a couple of weeks away im still really on edge. One day it just got really bad and made me super anxious i went to urgent care just to get checked out, and they gave me pantoprazole 40mg and told me to just work on my diet. After i left i noticed a lot of the discomfort went away and I figured a lot of was being exacerbated by anxiety and uncertainty about what’s going on. I’ve been working on my diet and a lot of the chest stuff went away, but now im like hyper aware of my body and every little sensation. I tell myself that it’s anxiety, because it will come and go, and often eases up when i distract myself or force myself to just stop thinking about it. Now im overally focused on my breathing, making myself think im short of breath, but i realize its because im way too focused on it. I’ve tried doing meditation, breathing excercises, trying to distract myself, i get scared that it’s something it’s not. My family tells me it’s just anxiety , they didn’t want to take me to the ER, and recently i wanted to go back to an urgent care that does more to maybe get some more reassurance, but my boyfriend told me i was fine and it’s in my head . It’s made sleeping hard for me, I basically sleep off and on throughout the night, i take melatonin on occasion to help. It’s just weird, I’ve had bad anxiety my whole life , social and just general, but I’ve never really experienced health anxiety before , i just want it to stop. A few weeks ago i was completely normal. I want my life back. I try not to care because I know im just wasting my time being worried about stuff that’s probably just anxiety related , but still it’s really hard to just accept and move on, especially when im still uncertain. Im worried because i lost weight that I didn’t have to lose, idk if its in my head i feel like i can see and feel my bones easier, it scares me, and im trying to gain it back but its hard while still working on my diet. These past few days I’ve been scared that Im going to need to call 911, go to the ER, or not even make it to the next day. It just has been making me really sad and depressed because I can’t function the way I want. And im scared. I hope going to the doctor will ease a lot of my worry.

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User Profile: GoldenRuleJG
GoldenRuleJG September 20th, 2025

@bagel2024 Its sounds all distressing - the pain is like a mosquito you want to swat away to the point its unbearable. 

Continue to try your best - i know you are making really good efforts. 

You are welcome to read through these resources whilst waiting for the appointment:

Food Facts - BDA

Heartburn and acid reflux - NHS

All the best, 

GoldenRuleJG

User Profile: Jmors8484
Jmors8484 September 25th, 2025

Hey bagel, the way you wrote this sounds like me to a T. Ive been struggling with panic disorder and health anxiety for way too long. I understand the torture that comes with those thoughts. Scanning your body for abnormalities... convincing yourself theres something wrong. Trust me i know the pain and exhaustion... i cant give you advise to make it stop.. im still learning myself. But i do want you to know that you are not alone. I learned, MANY people have the same thoughts. And it is 1000% anxiety based. And if it makes you feel better to be checked out, then i say go for it. But one thing i have learned from anxiety, the reasurance you need is from yourself. Trust your body will tell you when something is seriously wrong. Listen to what your heart is telling you. And breathe through the panic.. thats all it is.. theyre just butthead thoughts. Keep at the meditation and grounding techniques. They work but it takes practice. An talk to someone who can help with the thoughts, therapy is wonderful. Even if you just go to vent. And remember, being anxious is a completely normal human emotion and it doesn't last.